Hand harmonica



Nev. 29, 1938.

v. SKUDiES 2,138,749

HAND HARMONICA Filed May 25, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 2%, 1938. v SKUDlES 2,138,749

HAND HARMONI CA Filed May 25, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 r *2: k "Q m Nov. 29, 1938. v. SKUDIES 2,138,749

HAND HARMONICA I Patented Nov. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAND HARMONICA Viktor Skudies, Munich, Germany Application May 25, 1937, Serial No. 144,565 In Germany August 17, 1935 12 Claims. (Cl. 84376) The present invention relates to improvewith the tuning blocks and the register showing ments in hand-harmonicas and similar instruthe mode of operation of the latter for operating ments, particularly in that part of such instruthe bass valve; ments which comprises the bass-mechanism, Fig. 4 shows the keyboard for the bass mechawhereby the push-buttons or keys for operating nism comprising 140 bass keys for coupled ac- 5 the accompaniment can, by cutting in a special companiment;

mechanism and by simultaneously cutting out Fig. 5 ShOWS t ey a for a bass e the coupled accord-mechanism, also be used for nism compris g 140 bass ey When e oup d producing an interrupted accompaniment. accord mechanism is cut out and the instrument It is an object of the present invention to prois ready for interrupted or broken accompanil0 vide a hand-harmonica in which the same keys ment; permit the playing of different accompanying ac- Fig. 6 is a large scale illustration of part of cords and in which the change from the accord the comb-like slide member of the change-over accompaniment over to the interrupted or bromechanism.

ken accompaniment is effected by operation of Fig. '7 is a top view of part of the register. 15 the coupling shafts, of which twenty-four are Like parts are designated by like numerals provided, which, however, are arranged revolvand letters in all figures of the drawings. ably only and not displaceably. Referring more particularly to the drawings:

A further object of the present invention rel designates the bass-valve flap and 2 the flap sides in the provision of a hand-harmonica in for the accompaniment. There is, of course, a 20 which one revolvable coupling shaft is provided plurality of each of said valves arranged in sevin the rear of each revolvable accord-couplingeral rows on the instrument. 3 designates the shaft for the interrupted or broken accompanibutton-key for bass and 4 that for the accomment, whereby the finger of said first mentioned paniment, of Which there are also a plurality coupling shaft can be coupled with the mecha ranged in several rows. 25 nism for the accompanying tones and can as well The bass mechanism comprises for each tone a be brought into the range of the accord key shaft 5 with the post or finger 6 connected theremechanism by means of special rods etc. to or made in one piece therewith, which post is Another object of this invention is to provide movably connected with the key-rod I and the a hand-harmonica of the type set forth, in which rail 8. 30 the change from the coupled accompaniment to The flap-operating mechanism 9 is carried the interrupted accompaniment is effected by along by the rail 8 by means of the stud l0. displacing a ledge which removes the acCord- The mechanism for the accompanying tone key-mechanism out of the range of the bass-keycomprises the .accord-mechanism-shafts I 1*, l l mechanism. 11, and the interposed shafts I2 I2 H The 35 With the construction of the bass-mechanism posts I3 13 l3 of the shafts H li II are according to the invention, the height of the engaged by the rail l5 by means of the engaging harmonica and its manufacturing cost are conpieces I l M I4", which rail is linked at I! to siderably reduced, and playing is smoother and the rod N5 of the accompaniment-key 4.

more efficient. At l8, the rail I9 serving for operating flap 2 40 Further and other objects of the present inis linked to post I3 of shaft H Operation of vention will be hereinafter set forth in the acvalve 2 is carried out by means of members 20 companying specification and claims and shown 20 which are movably connected with one anin the drawings which, by way of illustration, other at 2|.

4.5 show what I now consider to be a preferred em- The post 22 of the interposed shaft l2 is mov- 4=5 bodiment of my invention. ably linked to rail 24 at 23 and can be coupled In the drawings: with the rail I5 by means of engaging piece l l I Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a part All rails I5, [9, 24, 8 are guided in slots of suitof the hand-harmonica according to the present able walls of the instrument, for example and 50 invention showing one valve key for bass and 5|,insofar as they penetrate such walls, as shown 56 e for the aGCOmDaIIimQHt; in Fig. 1; one slot may serve for guiding a plural- Fig. is a diagrammatic rear view of the ity of rails, as is shown in Fig. 2 for rails [5, I9, 8. mechanlSm Shown in Other suitable means may be employed for guid- Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic large scale view of the ing the rails, valve keys for bass and accompaniment together Members 20 20 extend through suitable 55 openings or slots of the suitably displaceable ledge or slide 25 which is connected by means of suitable guides 52 with other parts of the harmonica. For displacing ledge or slide 25, which may have the configuration of a comb, a lever mechanism having a handle or other arrangement which can easily be manipulated may be provided. These means are not shown in the drawing because they are per se known in the art and do not form part of the present invention.

when pushing the slide 25 from right to left, as seen in Fig. 2, member 2% is turned from the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 2 into the position which is shown in dotted lines, so that engagement with rails is and 8 is impossible and engagement with rail 24 is made possible. Thereby, with interrupted accompaniment, the mechanism for the accompanying tones is removed from the range of the bass-mechanism, and the accompanying tones are cut ofi from the bass. By pushing rail 25 to the right, the bass is cut in.

The mechanism proper is mounted to the board 26, and the valve flap l for bass and the valve flap 2 for the accompaniment are situated in board 2'! which is suitably connected with the casing wall 28 which carries the button keys 3 and 4. The carrying plates 29, 3B for the valve flaps I, 2 are arranged on the before mentioned board 21. Valve flap I operates the tone blocks 3!, 32, 33 which are arranged on the carrier plate 29 and provided with the customary tongues 31*, 32 33 The blocks extend through openings 29 29 29 in carrier plate 29 to corresponding openings 21 21 21 of board 27, which are covered by flap I. Likewise, flaps 2 cover the openings 2?, 21 of board 21, which correspond to openings 3%, 30 of the carrier plate 3!] for the tone blocks 34. 35, which are also provided with tongues 34 35 in known manner, Block 3| is for doublebass, block 32 for bass, and block 33 for the high octave of bass, whereas block 34 is used for the lower octave of second and block 35 for the high octave of second. Block 3| can be cut out by means of register 3'! which is set into a recess of the carrier plate 29. The register, which is shown in larger scale in Fig, 7, is provided with openings 3'! which are not shown in detail in order not to obscure the drawing and which correspond to openings 2'. of board 21, is shifted by means of arm 38 of the two-arm lever 38 which is revolvable about the pin 39 which is supported from board 2'! by means of a post 40. The other arm, 38, of the lever is linked at Al to one arm 42 of lever 42 which is provided with a handle 43 and swingable in horizontal direction about axle 44 which is connected to the casing cover 45. The other arm, 42, of lever 42 extends with the extension 4-6 into the rail 25 and adjusts the latter simultaneously with the register. Adjustment of rail 25 was explained in connection with Fig. 2.

The position of the button-keys forms the key table which is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 for a bass mechanism having 140 basses.

The two first rows from the top form the change-basses for minor and major thirds, whereas the third row from the top consists of the keys for the ground basses. The fourth to the seventh rows, inclusive, show the keys for the accords; the fourth row from the top comprises the keys for the major accords, the fifth row the keys for the minor accords, the sixth row the keys for the septime accords, and the seventh row the keys for the reduced septime accords.

In Fig. 5, the same key table is shown, whereby the tones corresponding to the individual keys are shown as they are after cutting out of the coupled accord mechanism and cutting in the mechanism for playing the interrupted accompaniment.

The first, second and third rows show the keys for the basses without high octaves, whereas the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh rows show the individual tones which replace the accords.

Fig. 5, by means of the dash and dotted line frame, shows further the bass and accompaniment system for a mechanism with 96 and 72 bass keys. From this figure can be seen that, also when reducing the bass mechanism in such manner, the method of playing, namely, particularly th fingering, is substantially the same. For the player it is, therefore, easily possible to change over from a small to a large bass mechanism and vice versa- Without additional practice. It further shows that division and arrangement of the whole keyboard can substantially be retained in bass mechanisms with wide differences in the number of keys, which greatly reduces manufacturing cost of various size harmonicas according to the present invention.

While I believe the above described embodiments of my invention to be preferred embodiments, I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of design and construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. In a hand-harmonica, the combination of two sets of valves, two sets of keys, connecting means permanently individually interconnecting the valves of one of said valve sets with the keys of one of said key sets, disconnectable coupling means individually, disconnectably interconnecting said connecting means and the valves of the other valve set, and other connecting means individually interconnecting the keys of the other of said key sets with said couplin whereby the keys of one of said key sets can be made to oper ate valves of both valve sets or the valves of any one set and whereby, at the same time, valves of the other set of valves can be operated by the keys of the other key set.

2. In a hand-harmonica, the combination of two sets of valves, two sets of keys, connecting means permanently individually interconnecting the valves of one of said valve sets with the keys of one of said key sets, coupling means permanently individually connected with the valves of the other valve set and individually having control members which are movable into different positions and which are individually engaged by said connecting means when in one of said positions, and other connecting means individually connected with the keys of the other of said key sets and engaging a plurality of said control members when in said one of said positions whereby upon depression of a key of one key set valves of both valve sets are operated and upon depression of one key of the other key set a plu rality of valves of the other valve set are operated.

3. In a hand-harmonica, the combination of two sets of valves, two sets of keys, connecting means permanently individually interconnecting the valves of one of said valve sets with the keys of one of said key sets, coupling means permanently individually connected with the valves of the other valve set and individually having control members which are movable into diiferent Cit positions and which are individually engaged by said connecting means when in one of said positions and which are not engaged by said connecting means when in another of said positions, and other connecting means individually connected with the keys of the other of said key sets and engaging a plurality of said control members when in said one of said positions whereby upon depression of a key of one key set valves of both valve sets are operated and upon depression of one key of the other key set a plurality of valves of the other valve set are operated, and individually engaging individuals of said control members when in said other of said positions whereby upon depression of a key of one key set a valve of one valve set is operated and on depression of a key of the other key set a valve of the other valve set is operated.

4. In a hand-harmonica, the combination of a bass valve, a valve for the accompaniment, a bass button key, connecting means connected to and operatively interconnecting said bass button key and both said valves, said connecting means comprising a disconnectable coupling means interposed in said connecting means and between said bass valve and said valve for the accompaniment for disconnecting said valve for the accompaniment from said bass button and coupling said valve for the accompaniment with said bass button, an accompaniment button key, accompaniment connecting means connected to and interconnecting said last mentioned key and said valve for the accompaniment and being independent from said first mentioned connecting means.

5. In a hand-harmonica, the combination of a bass valve, a valve for the accompaniment, a bass button key, connecting means connected to and operatively interconnecting said bass button key and said valves, said connecting means comprising a disconnectable coupling means interposed in said connecting means and between said bass valve and said valve for the accompaniment for disconnecting said valve for the accompaniment from said bass button key and coupling said valve for the accompaniment with said bass button key, an accompaniment button key, accompaniment connecting means connected to and interconnecting said last mentioned key and said coupling means and being independent from said first mentioned connecting means, said coupling means comprising a member which is permanently rigidly connected with said valve for the accompaniment and a swingable member movably linked to said first mentioned member and having two different positions and being, in one of said positions, abuttingly operatively connected with and operated by said independent accompaniment connecting means and, in the other position, being adapted to abuttingly en gage both said first mentioned connecting means and said accompaniment connecting means.

6. In a hand-harmonica, the combination of a bass valve, a valve for the accompaniment, a bass button key, connecting means connected to r and operatively interconnecting said bass button key and both said valves, said connecting means comprising a disconnectable coupling means interposed in said connecting means and between said bass valve and said valve for the accompaniment for disconnecting said valve for the accompaniment from said bass button key and coupling said valve for the accompaniment with said bass button key, an accompaniment button key, accompaniment connecting means connected to and interconnecting said last mentioned key and said coupling means and being independent from said first mentioned connecting means, said coupling means comprising a member which is permanently rigidly connected with said valve for the accompaniment and a swingable member movably linked tosaid first mentioned member and having two different positions and being, in one of said positions, abuttingly operatively connected with and operated by said accompaniment connecting means and, in

the other position, being adapted to abuttingly engage said first mentioned connecting means and said accompaniment connecting means, and a laterally displaceable comb shaped member movably connected with and swinging said swingable member from one position into the other.

7. A hand-harmonica having a keyboard, having seven. rows of button keys, bass button keys mainng the third of said rows of keys, accompaniment button keys making up the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh of said rows of keys, bass valves, valves for the accompaniment, connecting means individually connected to and interconnecting said bass button keys and one of said bass valves and one of said valves for the accompaniment, said connecting means comprising disconnectable coupling means interposed in said connecting means for coupling said valve for the accompaniment to or disconnecting it i from said bass button key, and accompaniment connecting means connected to and individually and independently of said bass button keys and first mentioned connecting means interconnecting said keys of the fourth to the seventh row of keys and said valves for the accompaniment.

8. A hand-harmonica comprising a bass valve, a valve for the accompaniment, a bass button key, connecting means connected to and -operatively interconnecting said key and both said valves, a disconnectable coupling means interposed in said connecting means and between said valves whereby either one or both said Valves canv be operatively connected with said key, a tone block having openings, and a displaceable tone block valve member movably connected with said tone block adjacent to and controlling said openings, said valve member being operatively connected and simultaneously operated with said coupling means.

9. A hand-harmonica comprising a bass valve, a valve for the accompaniment, a bass button key, connecting means connected to and operatively interconnecting said key and both said valves, a disconnectable coupling means interposed in said connecting means and between said valves whereby either one or both said valves can be operatively connected with said key, a tone block having openings, a displaceable tone block valve member movably connected with said tone block adjacent to and controlling said openings, and an operating lever connected with said tone block valve member as well as with said coupling means which lever simultaneously operates said valve member and coupling means.

10. A hand-harmonica comprising a bass valve, a valve for the accompaniment, a bass button key, connecting means connected to and operatively interconnecting said key and both said valves, a disconnectable coupling means interposed in. said connecting means and between said valves whereby either one or both said valves can be operatively connected with said key, a tone block having air fiow openings, a displaceable tone block valve member movably connected with said tone block adjacent to and controlling the air flow through said openings, a lever having a handle and being connected with said coupling means, and another lever connected with one end to said first mentioned lever and with the other end to said valve member and being disposed and swinging in a plane which is substantially rectangular to the plane in which said first mentioned lever moves which levers simultaneously operate said valve member and coupling means.

11. In a hand-harmonica, the combination of a bass key, a bass valve, connecting means connecting said bass key and said bass valve, an extension on said connecting means, an accompaniment valve, a coupling connected with said accompaniment valve and having a control member which is movable into two extreme positions and which member, in one extreme position, is abuttingly engaged by said extension and operates upon depression of said bass key said accompaniment valve and which member, in the other extreme position, is not engaged by said extension and does not operate said accompaniment valve upon depression of said bass key, an accompaniment key, and means connecting said accompaniment key and said control member in any of its extreme positions and operating saic accompaniment valve at any extreme position of said member upon manipulation of said accompaniment key.

12. In a hand-harmonica, the combination of a bass key, a bass valve, connecting means connecting said bass key and said bass valve, an extension on said connecting means, an accompaniment valve, a coupling connected with said accompaniment valve and having a control member which is movable into two extreme positions and which member, in one extreme position, is abuttingly engaged by said extension and operates said accompaniment valve upon depression of said bass key and which control member, in the other extreme position, is not engaged by said extension and does not operate said accompaniment valve upon depression of said bass key, an accompaniment key, and means connecting said accompaniment key and said control member in any of its extreme positions and operating said accompaniment valve at any extreme position of said member upon manipulation of said accompaniment key, said last mentioned means comprising at least two rotatable axially unmovable shaft-members, a lever member connected with each of said shaft members, a connecting rod connecting both said lever member with said accompaniment key, an individual connecting rod connected with each of said shaft members, one of said individual connecting rods abuttingly engaging said movable member when in one extreme position and the other of said individual connecting rods abuttingly engaging said movable member when in the other extreme position.

VIKTOR SKUDIES. 

